







In English we use the present simple tense to talk about facts or things that are always true, as well as things in general. Present simple is also used to talk about a repeated action such as a habit, a hobby, a daily event, a scheduled event or something that often happens.
In English we use 'do' and 'does' as auxiliary verbs in negatives and questions and we often use the present simple with adverbs of frequency such as sometimes, always, often, never, usually, rarely, and hardly ever.
Notes for use of present simple :
In the third person, ‘s’ is added to the verb form. For example;
work --> works
run --> runs
live --> lives
For verbs that end in 'o', 'sh', 'ch', 's' and 'x', we add 'es' to the verb form. For example;
go --> goes
wish --> wishes
watch --> watches
kiss --> kisses
fax --> faxes
For verbs that end in a consonant + 'y', we change the 'y' to 'i' and add 'es'. For example;
try --> tries
study --> studies
The table below shows the different forms of present simple :
Example Verb : Work | I / You / We / They | He / She / It |
| Positive | ... work. | ... works. |
| Negative | ... don't work. | ... doesn't work. |
Questions | Do ... work? | Does ... work? |
| Short answers | Yes, ... do. / No, ... don't. | Yes, ... does. / No, ... doesn't. |
For the verb 'to be' we use 'am', 'is', 'are' in the present simple. No auxiliary verbs are used in negative sentences and questions.
Verb: Be | I | You / We / They | He / She / It |
| Positive | I'm ... | ... 're ... | ... 's ... |
| Negative | I'm not ... | ... aren't ... | ... isn't ... |
| Questions | Am I ... ? | Are ... ...? | Is ... ...? |
| Short answers | Yes, I am. / No, I'm not. | Yes, ... are. / No, ... aren't. | Yes, ... is. / No, ... isn't. |
Present Simple Example Sentences :
Positive Examples of Present Simple :
Negative Examples of Present Simple :
Question Examples of Present Simple :
| Present simple example sentences | |
|---|---|
| So I want to cook as much as I can now. | |
| I really don't want to see her again! | |
| It's very difficult for me to go there more than once a year. | |
| Umm, you can tell them it's our wedding anniversary. | |
| There is no direct flight from London to Perth. | |
| Hey Mike, you look so worried! | |
| I've finally completed it and tomorrow is the big day! | |
| No, we drain pasta with a grater. | |
| It definitely costs a lot, but that's not the only problem. | |
| Where is Flora, isn't she here? | |
| Erm, she's the marketing manager at the company. | |
| Let's calculate, I pay 135 per week for one person... | |
| Oh f*ck, what kind of tap is this? | |
| Okay, the total is £36.74, sir. | |
| I hope it's not the right address! It looks awful. | |
| Sorry, they don't serve chips here... | |
| Of course, she is an angel, do you want to talk to your mum? | |
| That's nice, I like the music and the lyrics. | |
| I can bring him with me when I come back for breakfast. | |
| Oh my god! It’s almost 12 o’clock. | |